Just like riding a bike...

This year I have been working with my oldest on riding the infamous two wheeler bike. It only took about 20 minutes for him to be up and pedaling on his own. He has already mastered pedalling around the blacktop at his school, and the nearby bike trail.

He really only has one major hurdle...He can't start on his own. My job, as father, is to steady his bike and hold the seat until he has planted himself with his feet on the pedals. After that, he is off on his own.

Watching him ride off has been a little bittersweet. There is going to be a time when I am going to get ready to let him go into the world as his own man. I'm not going to be with him all the time to make his decisions.

The best I can hope to do is steady him, point him in the right direction, and trust he will remember what he has been taught. However, there will never be a time when I'm not watching and waiting for a moment when I might need to shout out a little encouragement, or be prepared to run and pick him up when he falls.

Every once in a while we all need to be brushed off, asked if we are ok, then steadied once more for another try.